So, for the past couple seasons, I have seemingly pointed to a certain individual as to why the Los Angeles Dodgers continue to falter in the playoffs. He is the person who led the team to their first World Series championship in over 30 years and has given the Dodgers the best opportunity to be near the top of the baseball realm.
Despite all of this, he is still getting criticism from many pundits following MLB, including wannabe pundits like yours truly. So, here, I will take a different approach on the skipper of the most heralded franchises in sports.
As a player, I was a fan of Dave Roberts. He wasn't really a superstar, but he was a role player who can get a timely hit or make a great play defensively. He was also a key member of the 2004 Boston Red Sox team that won the World Series after 86 years of frustration. So, due to his high baseball IQ, it was no surprise that Roberts would have a promising career in the business after his playing days were over. He spent a year at NESN as a broadcaster, then ventured to the San Diego Padres, where he would begin a long journey in the coaching ranks.
In 2015, the Los Angeles Dodgers decided not to renew Don Mattingly's contract and went with a high-rising prospect in Roberts. Many were confused and thought that LA would go after a more seasoned guy to lead this surging franchise. The next season, Dave Roberts would begin a trend of success. Despite losing in six games to a curse-breaking club in the Chicago Cubs in the NLCS, Roberts had the Dodgers on the road to something special. 2017 came along and a rematch with the Cubs in the NLCS went in the favor of L.A.'s team. The Los Angeles Dodgers made the World Series for the first time in almost 30 years and went against an Astros team for a chance to bring home the Commissioner's Trophy. In a classic seven-game series, Houston came through, then was found that they were cheating during the series.
2018 started slowly for the Dodgers as they dealt with injuries and a sub-.500 record. The team turned it around and traded for Manny Machado to give them a punch through a playoff run. LA went all the way to the World Series for the second straight season. Unfortunately, the Dodgers lost to another cheating team in the Boston Red Sox. I don't really want to talk about 2019 and the 109 wins and the short playoff run. Then came 2020. A pandemic crippled the nation and caused the schedule to be reduced. The Dodgers took advantage of the situation and even came back from a 3-1 deficit to the Atlanta Braves in the NLCS to make the World Series again. The Tampa Bay Rays were the only team standing in the way of over 30 years of frustration. But it happened! The Los Angeles Dodgers made it to the mountaintop as World Series Champions and Dave Roberts had his name etched in history as the first manager of Asian heritage to win it all.
If you look at Roberts' managerial career with LA, he has established an impressive resume that is up there with many of baseball's top managers. In his eight seasons at Chavez Racine, he and the Dodgers have five seasons with over 100 wins, seven division titles, three pennants and a World Series championship. He also has a .630 winning percentage in the regular season and a .536 percentage in the postseason. He is obviously the reason why the Dodgers are the best team in baseball right now.
I love ya, Dave. Trust me, I do.
(For more content, check out our Facebook page, our website www.realsportsmarksaz.com and the Wix mobile app)
Commenti